Study of a model of a Royal Naval frigate

In 1773 King George III ordered a series of models depicting the various classes of ships in the Royal Navy which was begun the following year from a list of fifteen vessels compiled by the Surveyor of the Navy, Sir John Williams. In August 1775, when the set was completed, the King then commissioned a companion series of twenty-eight paintings, on copper, to illustrate the models from different perspectives; John Binmer and Joseph Williams drew the bow and stern views respectively whilst Joseph Marshall was selected to execute the oil paintings of the complete hulls. Thirteen pairs of the original set are currently held in the collection of the Science Museum having been presented by Queen Victoria in 1864, and two further paintings of H.M. ships Enterprise and Royal George, both stern views, are held in the National Collection at Greenwich, see Catalogue of Oil Paintings in the National Maritime Museum, 1988, p.265, nos. BHC 3323 & 3603. A similar bow view of H.M.S. Royal George (signed and dated 1779) was sold in Christie's Maritime Sale, 2nd November, 1995 (lot 556 - £14,000).